Context: Shared Decision-Making
Decisions are made with input from a broad group of stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, families, students, and community organizations. This fosters transparency, trust, and shared accountability.
Inclusive Leadership Teams
Chesterton has multiple teams that meet separately to refine their voice and develop agency, and they meet collectively to share information and to join in consensus decision making. Families, staff, and students form strong leadership teams. We have a growing list of partners who are ready to join the sustainability effort once the grassroot work of families, staff, and students have identified the assets and needs in their groups. These teams meet monthly to review data, set priorities, and guide the community school effort.
Distributed Leadership
Leadership is not limited to a single individual or role. Instead, it is shared frequently (e.g., principals, community school coordinators, teacher leaders, family liaisons) to reflect on the collective nature of the work and decide the best way to proceed. Shared leadership ensures that power does not rest with one individual, but it is evenly distributed for best continued efforts in the event a teacher, parent, or anyone decides to step back from the work; Chesterton will remain a strong community school and continue to thrive!
A Focus on Equity
Collaborative leadership ensures that Chesterton progresses in a way that intentionally includes historically marginalized voices. Norms are developed in such collaborative meetings to make sure all voices and perspectives are valued and considered. No one voice should dominate the discourse, all voices should be heard. This helps to dismantle systemic barriers and create more equitable outcomes.
Purpose: Collaborative leadership builds a culture of trust, respect, and shared purpose. When all stakeholders work together, schools are better equipped to address challenges, leverage strengths, and create a nurturing environment where students are excited to learn and thrive! .
Our Journey with Collaborative Leadership:
August - We broadened awareness of Community Schools to staff, families, and community entities. By the end of August, general interest was tested among families, staff, and community partners. Community Schools presence was felt during the second week of school at Chesterton's Open House with seven service providers, food trucks and raffle give aways. The entire community environment was positive, fun and helped to compose the initial family and staff teams.
September - We continue to invite families and staff to join a Community School team while we began our initial meetings to collectively determine benefits and assets in our immediate community. This step was helpful, so no one has to reinvent the wheel if solutions to immediate problems already existed around us. We all had the opportunity to become better aware as a campus and broader Chesterton/ Linda Vista community, which positions us well to explore needs in the coming months. FACT (Families and Community Together) started meeting every third Thursday at 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, collaborative leadership structures continued with the first SGT meeting and the Community School Sub-Committee meeting starting this month as well. Coaches (Jessica Moore and Alison Disque) began integrating Community School discussions and data collection in staff meetings. Communication systems with new structures were realigned (social media, website, newsletter, and PowerSchool) to be more inclusive of campus dominant languages and populations.
Next steps:
October - There will be several exciting family engagement events on the horizon...
Cheetah Rallies 9/30 and 10/2
FACT Family and Community Team Meeting on 10/16 @ 8 and 4
Family Friday on 10/17
Treat Trail Fall Festival on 10/24 from 4:30 to 7:00
All of the above activities will be opportunities to hear from the Chesterton community and build team participation prior to creating the needs survey which will set the stage for areas of focus.
Student leadership presentations will begin this month. Students will fill out applications, prepare speeches, and begin to assume more responsibility as applicants prepare for their roles as part of Chesterton's ASB (Associated Student Body). Speech event held on November 3rd.